Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (1SC0) Past Papers 2026

Biology 1 — Foundation and Higher tier

Duration: 1h 10m

Biology 2 — Foundation and Higher tier

Duration: 1h 10m

Chemistry 1 — Foundation and Higher tier

Duration: 1h 10m

Chemistry 2 — Foundation and Higher tier

Duration: 1h 10m

Physics 1 — Foundation and Higher tier

Duration: 1h 10m

Physics 2 — Foundation and Higher tier

Duration: 1h 10m

Osmosis — specifying water movement, direction, and membrane explicitly

Every Biology Paper 2 report across both tiers in 2023 and 2024 flags this. Candidates consistently referred to 'particles' or 'molecules' moving without naming water, or described the solute concentration gradient rather than the water concentration gradient. Many failed to include 'partially permeable membrane' for the third mark.

Paper 2BF, Paper 2BH

Enzyme denaturation — completing the three-step chain

Examiners in 2023 Biology Paper 2BF stated that 'denatured' was the most common one-mark response, and explanations including the active site change were seen less frequently. The third step (substrate cannot fit) was the rarest of the three despite all being needed for full marks.

Paper 1BH, Paper 2BF

Practical design — control experiment versus controlled variables

The 2024 Biology Higher Paper 2BH explicitly flagged this confusion: candidates described lists of controlled variables when asked 'describe a control experiment', earning zero marks. The 2023 Physics Higher Paper 1PH also cited vague descriptions of practical procedure as the main limit on performance.

Paper 2BH, Paper 1PH

Electrolysis — ions versus atoms, and electrode versus electrolyte

The 2023 Chemistry Foundation Paper 1CF noted that 'atoms' instead of 'ions' in electrolysis answers lost the second mark point even when the first was correct. The 2023 Higher Paper 1CH warned that confusing electrolysis, electrode, electrolyte, and electron caused consistent mark loss across Q4.

Paper 1CF, Paper 1CH

Physics equation rearrangement and standard form

Across all four Physics ERs, candidates who could substitute correctly into a given equation but failed when rearrangement was required lost marks consistently. Powers of ten errors in ratio calculations (e.g., atom-to-nucleus size ratio) and forgetting to square v in kinetic energy were specifically highlighted.

Paper 1PF, Paper 1PH, Paper 2PH

Carbon cycle — naming correct carbon compounds, not just 'carbon'

The 2023 Biology Higher Paper 2BH stated that 'referring to plants taking in carbon, either from the air or the soil or animals releasing carbon without referring to the correct carbon compound' was the most common error limiting Level 3 marks in the extended response question. The compound must be named: carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and respiration.

Paper 2BH

Extended open-response Physics (Level 1 plateau) — not progressing beyond description

The 2023 Foundation Physics Paper 1PF paper summary noted that the renewable/non-renewable energy question 'yielded few level 3 responses, and many didn't go beyond level 1, beyond which explanations were needed rather than simply describing trends'. Many candidates spent time quantifying trend descriptions but never attempted to explain why those trends occurred.

Paper 1PF

Reading graph scales accurately — misidentifying minor gridline values

The 2023 Physics Higher Paper 1PH explicitly instructed candidates to 'look carefully at the numbers on the axes — make sure that you know what each small square represents. It may not always be 1, 2 or 5 units.' In Biology Paper 2BF (2023), misreading blood pressure graph values caused candidates to score zero on a straightforward two-mark subtraction question.

Paper 1PH, Paper 2BF